OCR Text |
Show Songfest, Lights , Amahl On Temple Square Approximately 3,500 youthful voices will be raised in song in the Christmas Youth Songfest in the century-olTabernacle on Temple Square as part of the holiday season. Dr. Lorin F. Wheelwright, dean of the BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications, and director of the Songfest, said the number of participants has been limited to the 3,500 number for this year. They are all in rehearsal in their respective schools. Young singers from schools as far north as the Cache Valley town of Dayton, Idaho, and as far south as Provo, Utah, will converge on the Tabernacle Friday, Dec. 13, for the Songfest. d The Songfest is the first of a variety of activities on Temple Square during the Christmas season. It wall start at 8 p.m. with singers spaced throughout the auditiorium. A brief ceremony marking the formal start of the Christmas lighting display on the square will be held. A switch will be thrown to turn on the more than 100,000 Christmas lights in the trees and shrubs along the walks and buildings. The public will be invited to use the remaining seats after the singers are in their places. The Songfest and lighting displays are sponsored by the Temple Square Christmas Lighting Committee. Dr. Wheelwright said the 3,500 voices include 34 individual groups from 30 schools, including the renowned BYU A Cappella Choir, Ralph Woodward, director. Also participating will be the BYU Symphony Orchestra, Ralph Laycock, director. While Dr. Wheelwrright will wield the baton at the Tabernacle Songfest, there are actually 35 musical directors rehearsing the young vocalists in the program of specially arranged Christmas music. Rehearsals also are progressing on schedule for the light opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors, by Menotti, which will be presented by the University of Utah Opera Company at 8 p.m., Dec. 14, 16, 17, and 18 in the Tabernacle. : Gian-Carl- o Tickets for reserved seating in the lower floor of the Tabernacle, are free and can be obtained from one of the five sponsors of Amahl. Reserved seats must be occupied by 7:45 p.m. otherwise they are opened to those waiting at the door for sealing in other sections of the building. Tickets may be obtained from Beneficial Life Insurance Co., 47 W. South Temple; Deseret News, 34 E. 1st South; Sugar Co., 47 W. South Temple; any of the three stores of ZCMI located in downtown Salt Lake City, Ogden or the Cottonwood Mali; any branch office of Zions First National Utah-Idah- o Bank. Other activities on the square for the Christman season will be the weekly Mormon Tabernacle Choir radio-Tbroadcasts Sundays at 9:30 a.m. (public also invited to choir rehearsals Thursdays at 7:30 V p.m.), and the annual Salt Lake Oratorio Societys presentation of Handels The Messiah Sunday Dec. 22 at 2 p.m. in the Tabernacle. FROM NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION N.Y. Honors Go To Pres. McKay President David O. McKay, believed to be the nation's oldest former football player, received the "Distinguished American award from the National Football Foundation and the Hall of Fame. The award was presented in absentia to the beloved Church leader at the 11th annual awards dinner of the Foundation In the Waldorf-Astori- a Hotel in New York Tuesday night. Accepting the award for President McKay was Frederic S. Schluter of Princeton, N.J., a convert to the Church and president of the Delaware Valley chapter of the Foundation. Some 1,400 attending the banquet heard President McKay praised for his exemplary life and were told how he played guard on the University of Utah football team in 1894. He is believed to be the oldest former gridder in the nation. The New York event marked football's 100th season. Vincent DePaul Draddy, chairman of the awards dinner, said "it is not because of the lengthening years of this distinguished man that we honor him. We honor him for the richness of his life and his beneficient influence upon his fellow man. As football men we cherish the record of this noble career. Mr. Draddy also read the citation which to be delivered to President McKay. came with the plaque The citation read: Churchman an of Football. Leader Senior Veter- The National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame salutes as a Distinguished American Dr. David O. McKay, the oldest living football man of record in our nation. For many years he has been the renowned President and Beloved Leader of The Saints Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-da(Mormon). Born in Huntsville, Utah, September 8, 1873, he played guard in 1896 on the first football team that represented the University of Utah. In a lifetime that encompasses all but five years of our Football Centuof ry, he has served as the spiritual head ofa statesman a community, great religious his Church, educator, writer, trustee of universities. y "He has provided an inspiring example for youth and for his fellow citizens. He The University of Utah football squad of 1894 poses for a photograph. President David O. McKay was one of the players that year. They are (back row) Paul Kimball, left, David O. McKay, F. N. Poulson, Bernard J. Stewart, I. E. Willey, Theodore Mystrom; (middle row) Earnest Van Cott, F. W. Reynolds, A. E. Hyde, and J. W. Stringfellow; (front row) A. B. Sawyer, Fred H. May, Harry Kimball, Fred Earles, and Seth Thomas. has personified the standards of heart and mind, of physical excellence, and of the competitive values he exemplified so long ago on the football field. Today, in his ninety-sixtyear, he cherishes those values with resolution undiminished." Another Utahn, and Church member, was honored at the meeting. h He was Arnold Friberg, noted artist and painter of Book of Mormon scenes, who was paid tribute for four paintings depicting the history of football. The paintings were shown at the awards dinner. The paintings were described as "a golden breakthrough in historic documeuta- - WEEK The paintings were commissioned by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors Corp. Eventually the paintings will be hung in the new College Football Hall of Fame soon to be constructed in New Brunswick, N.J. ENDING DECEMBER 7, 1963 f CHURCH- -3 f |